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At first, I put my symptoms down to a summer cold that just went on and on. Then, I assumed the wretched itching throat was an allergy to chlorine at the local outdoor pool. But it never occurred to me that I could have developed hay fever in midlife. Surely allergies are set in our childhood?

Yet, four years on from the first intimation that I acquired an allergy to grass, tree or weed pollen – or possibly all three – I have had to accept that I am one of the growing number of middle-aged Britons who are developing hay fever.

Traffic fumes have been blamed for the spread of “urban hayfever”; allergens and pollution work together, enhancing the other’s responsiveness which creates more symptoms

Indeed, experts from the charity Allergy UK are warning that the rise in numbers of “new” older sufferers is so explosive, by 2030 more than 30 million Britons could be suffering allergy symptoms.

Anecdotally, says Hasan Arshad, Professor of Allergy and Clinical Immunology at the University of Southampton, it is certainly true that more patients are presenting with hay fever this way. “No studies have looked at the onset of hay fever in midlife, but we are definitely seeing more people coming into the clinic.”

The pollen count is on the increase

So what do those of us with adult-onset hay fever need to know?

Why have I been hit by hay fever in mid-life?

“Our immune systems are there to react to foreign proteins that get into the body,” says Prof Arshad. “No one is born with allergies – although there may be a tendency to develop an allergy when you are exposed to an allergen and then develop a response. Pollen won’t be a new allergen, as such, but your ability to tolerate it will have changed.

“Moreover, it may be related to our cleaner environment. A rounded person is exposed to microbes, bacteria and viruses, which help develop a stronger immune system. If you don’t have that, you can go into middle-age a bit more vulnerable.”

Holly Shaw, an Allergy UK Nurse Advisor, adds: “It is possible to become sensitised to aero-allergens such as pollen at any point. Individual exposure will depend on environmental factors, for example, where an individual lives plus their exposure to pollen, the time of year and their occupation.”

Is the pollen count on the increase?

Definitely, says Prof Arshad. “We have proof of that, from our research centre on the Isle of Wight. It’s not just daily averages that have risen, but also in the number of days when pollen exceeds a certain limit.”

So it may be that for many people, previous levels of pollen were too low to trigger a response.

The main release for tree pollen is from late March to mid-MayCredit:
Matthew Ashmore / Alamy Stock Photo

When should we worry?

The hay fever season – or rather seasons, depending on the allergens that triggers your reaction – is longer than you might think. The main release for tree pollen is from late March to mid-May; for grass pollen (which affects 95 per cent of all hay fever sufferers) from mid-May to July; for weed pollen, it’s from the end of June to September.

Are you less likely to get symptoms in a city?

Hay fever sufferer, you can’t hide in town. “Built-up areas can still be problematic,” says Shaw. “Cityscapes are planted with trees and grasses that have high pollen. Pollen can also be transferred into urban areas by the wind.”

Traffic fumes have also been blamed for the spread of “urban hay fever”; allergens and pollution work together, enhancing the other’s responsiveness which creates more symptoms. Dr Jean Emberlin, Scientific Director of Allergy UK, has warned: “Fumes containing nitric oxide which, when breathed in, stops hair-like projections in the nose from clearing away mucus, keep people feeling bunged up and miserable.”

The general population shift, from rural to urban communities, has also been associated with an increase in allergies. In China, 30 years ago, only one or two per cent of the population had allergies, such as hay fever. But now the Chinese population is rapidly catching up with the western world.

Does climate change have a hand in this?

Climate change may be influencing plant growth and pollen counts

Dr Emberlin has linked gradual global warming to increased risk of hay fever: “As summers become warmer,” she has said, “more photochemical smogs will occur on dry days, resulting in an increased frequency of days with high concentrations of ozone, nitrous oxides and other pollutants that will make symptoms worse, and that will make people more susceptible to allergens.

Due to climate change in the future, plant growth may be influenced in a way that more, new and altered pollens are produced, which may affect humans.”

What medication works?

Mild pollen allergy can be controlled with standard over-the-counter antihistamines – but which one will work best for you? One of the earliest antihistamines, chlorphenamine (brand name Piriton) is effective at reducing the symptoms of hay fever, but can be very sedating. Newer, or “second-generation”, antihistamines developed in the early Eighties are less likely to cause drowsiness.

If your hay fever is only sporadic, such as when the pollen count is particularly high, a cheap, one-a-day remedy such as loratadine (brand name Claritin) is a good option for short-term relief.

For those who need to take something for the duration of their hay fever season, there is cetirizine (brand name Zirtec), a stronger, nominally non-drowsy second-generation antihistamine, but whose side effects can include dry mouth, headache and sleepiness.

For longer-term, daily allergy symptoms, you’ll do better with a battalion of pills, nasal steroids and eye drops, which can all be bought over the counter and will help to decrease certain asthma and allergy symptoms.

Could immunotherapy be the answer?

For the 10-to-20 per cent of those with hay fever people whose symptoms can’t be controlled using these types of medication, immunotherapy is increasingly being offered. This means re-educating the immune system by introducing it to purified versions of the pollen.

Patients are either offered four injections before the pollen season begins for three years running, or a one-a-day tablet such as Grazax, which is taken under the tongue, also for three years. “This is very effective,” says Prof Arshad. “It induces remission long-term.”

Professor Stephen Durham, Head of Allergy and Clinical Immunology at the National Heart and Lung Institute at Imperial and clinical lead for allergy services at Royal Brompton Hospital – who led a recent study into the therapy, published in February in the journal JAMA – said: “You treat patients for three years, and then they have a big improvement in their hay fever for several years afterwards. Exposing people to grass pollen in this way is a very effective treatment for people who really have debilitating hay fever.” Anyone interested in trying the therapy should ask the GP for a referral to an allergy clinic.

Should I change my diet?

Prof Arshad does not believe that giving up specific foods, such as dairy, helps alleviate hay fever symptoms. Certain foods, however, can cross-react with allergens in the air. For example, apples cross-react with birch pollen to cause oral allergy symptoms (itchy mouth, swollen tongue).

Medical herbalist Dee Atkinson suggests using a purified nasal spray containing extract of Luffa operculata, a medical plant more commonly known as sponge cucumber, which is said to help control sneezing and nasal discharge; try A Vogel’s Pollinosan Luffa Nasal Spray (£7.99, 20ml).

Can exercise help?

Possibly. A 2010 University of Worcester study compiled by Prof Emberlin for the National Pollen and Aerobiology Research Group found that hay fever sufferers who did the most exercise (more than five 30-minute sessions a week) were the most likely to report mild symptoms. Only 19 per cent of hay fever sufferers take the recommended amount of exercise, with 24 per cent doing no exercise.

But do be sensible, warns Shaw, and watch for high pollen count days. “People choosing to exercise during the months where the pollen counts are high may choose to exercise inside or plan activities around days when the pollen count is predicted to be high.”

Does stress make symptoms worse?

The same study found that as stress levels fall, so do severity of symptoms. Sixteen per cent of those with low stress levels found their symptoms to be “mild or barely noticeable”, compared to just six per cent of those with the highest stress levels. The stress hormone cortisol may be to blame as it affects the immune system directly, possibly making symptoms last longer.

I’ve heard that taking honey helps. How?

Is honey a cure for hay fever?

A traditional remedy for hay fever, some swear by it – especially if the honey is local. The idea is that the pollen will desensitise you against your allergen.

Unfortunately, allergist Dr Adam Fox from St Thomas’s Hospital in London, is skeptical: “Looking at scientific studies, unfortunately, there isn’t good evidence that pollen-rich honey is a beneficial treatment.”

What about putting Vaseline up my nose?

Allergy UK suggests that applying an effective allergen barrier balm – such as gel nasal sprays, Haymax or, at a push, a smidge of Vaseline – around the edge of each nostril to trap or block pollens and other allergens can help prevent a reaction. “These work because pollen can’t interact with or trigger your airway lining,” says Prof Arshad. You’ll be less likely to suffer a sneezing attack – but you may find strangers offering you tissues, saying: “I think you’ve got a little something on your face...”.